Comparison test: Kawasaki ZX-6R in three expansion stages

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Comparison test: Kawasaki ZX-6R in three expansion stages
Jahn

motorcycles

Comparison test: Kawasaki ZX-6R in three expansion stages

Comparison test: Kawasaki ZX-6R in three expansion stages
Queen, King, Ace

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A production Kawasaki ZX-6R is a powerful companion on country roads, but on the racetrack it is more difficult than expected. With little effort, she can find her way back to her old class; With a little more effort, you can even win the IDM. Does a hobby racer feel these differences??

Sebastian Lang

03/12/2008

Queen, King, Ace

Kawasaki Heavy Industries. Heavy metal. Machinery. Railways. Planes. Ocean liners. And in between in the range: fast, sporty and above all light motorcycles that put their opponents under a lot of pressure. In 2007 the ZX-6R faced stiff competition. Its heavy weight and the low-torque engine cost the six hundredths some sympathy despite the promised 120 hp and a good performance on the country road. In racing it looked much better: Under team boss Guido Bray, the Frenchman Sebastien Diss won the IDM Supersport title on his BMR-Kawasaki ZX-6R. So the base of the little ninja seems to be right. But how much tuning is necessary to turn the series roll into a competitive racing roll? Is this effort even worth it for a hobby driver? PS organized a sister meeting in Hockenheim and, in addition to the IDM and production bikes, invited a little green girl from the Luchow Bike Shop. Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa in sizes 120/70 and 180/55 provided the necessary grip.

Helmet on, butt on the series ninja, press the start button, hum, let’s go. First impression: the Japanese orange doesn’t drive badly. The chassis responds cleanly, high braking and cornering stability instill a lot of confidence in the driver. However, you can clearly see the 203 kilograms when turning in: It only follows the desired line with subtle emphasis. The engine also takes it easy, at medium speeds the small four-cylinder dozes, only wakes up in the five-digit range and then suddenly marches off like Dieter Baumann on toothpaste. When applying the gas at the exit of the curve, the tachometer needle should therefore be at least 9 o’clock, i.e. 10,000 rpm, which the little ninja gratefully supports with low load changes and an easily shiftable gearbox.

After a few laps, the path leads back to the pits. A look at the clock reveals a moderate 2:02, and a look at the tires reveals untapped potential. Time to see what the other two Zett-Ix-Six-Erren have to offer. Karsten Bartschat from the Bike Shop Luchow is a friend of near-series and above all affordable tuning. With subtle changes, he created a six hundred, which impresses with a lot of power, stiff chassis and a ready-to-drive weight of 185 kilograms. Racing bikes, ick hear you trapping.

In fact, you can already feel a clear difference to the series when you roll comfortably. The Lightech notches sit higher, the angular, foldable accessory levers are comfortable to hold. In addition, the chassis conveys significantly more transparency and precision than its series counterpart from the first meter. However, if you look under the driver’s seat and expect a shiny golden expansion tank with blue lettering, you will be disappointed: Instead of simply and expensive to fall back on accessory dampers, Bartschat optimized the original chassis for 350 euros and reached a level that makes the heart of every hobby racer beat faster: Crystal-clear feedback from both wheels, plus a relatively tight set-up with residual comfort suitable for long journeys. The pilot feels the grip of the tires at all times and can slowly feel his way to the boundary between sticking and sliding.

When building his racing Kawa, Bartschat limited himself to the essentials: LSL handlebars and steering damper kit, Leovince complete system including BMC racing air filter and power commander for 9 hp more power, a few carbon particles for the optics, plus the footrests, levers and the suspension update , finished. In total, a completely rebuilt ZX-6R costs a bearable 14,700 euros. This effort pays off at the latest with the first hard gasping. The six-speed gearbox, which is one tooth shorter, sprints through the rev range much more motivated than the series from 8000 rpm and even marches forward from tight corners with linear pressure. Thanks to the sticky racing tires, the driving technique at the exit of the curve is pretty simple anyway: Turn around, accelerate, done. It’s great when a motorcycle just works the way it should! The Bike Shop six wags relaxed and fast through the Hockenheimer Motodrom and burns a 1:59 on the lap timer after a few laps.

Ninja equipment


Comparison test: Kawasaki ZX-6R in three expansion stages


Jahn

Three ninjas with different combat equipment.

Can a hobby pilot work with Sebastien Diss ?? Get even more out of the master motorcycle? In any case, it will not fail on the work device, the BMR-ZX-6R throws everything into the balance that is necessary to be fast. The list of attachments, modifications and dismantling is correspondingly long and exclusive: The fork has been fundamentally revised and equipped with fine Showa inners, and an extremely expensive shock absorber from the same manufacturer provides grip at the rear. A menu of Lukas CRQ pads on Braking Wave brake disks garnished with LSL steel braided lines ensures deceleration in keeping with their standing, an LSL steering damper kit keeps the front in check. The pegs and handlebars are also from LSL. Together with the stylish and functional Pazzo levers, they make it possible to adapt the ergonomics to the wishes of the French pilot. It’s not demanding, but it’s consistent.

The specialists from LKM took care of the rule-compliant optimization of the cylinder head. The maps of the injection electronics are stored in an exclusive kit ECU, while a Bodis titanium system takes care of the exhaust gas disposal. So that Sebastien doesn’t have to change his grip when tearing the tap, BMR installed a short-stroke throttle from GL-Motorradtechnik; an automatic gearshift from Tellert is easy on the clutch hand and forearm. It gets really expensive when it comes to data recording: The high-tech icing on the cake from Memotec alone costs more than ten sets of racing tires. Overall, the renovation costs amount to around 25,000 euros ?? Working hours not counted. So don’t break anything.

You can see the differences before you even get on: At first glance, the master motorcycle looks more delicate and manageable than the other two. No wonder the BMR Kawasaki loads the scales with only 168 kg, a difference of 35 kg to the serial pummelchen. Once in the saddle, all doubts crumble to ashes: this is racing. The high notch position forces the pilot into a seating position that takes little account of comfort requirements? Tribute to the lean angle. Pull the clutch, engage first gear ?? up, logically ??, go! So this is how a master motorcycle drives: The chassis is tight, very tightly tuned, everything looks rock hard. In return, the pilot feels the impressive precision of this racing machine right from the start: As if by itself, the master ZX-6R folds into deep lean angles and remains steadfastly on course at the exit of the curve. The hard but sensitive chassis always gives perfect feedback on the grip of the tires. Easy slides? Pass, but the chassis clearly shows the pilot that all of this is correct.

The brake lever is only suitable for two-finger brakes ?? at the latest the ring finger reaches into the void. The effect is great: the slim green can easily be decelerated extremely hard even in the nasty braking zone at the end of the parabolic steroids. This is how fast driving is fun: The engine, which has been trained to over 130 hp, pushes forward more greedily and more motivated than the engines of the two sisters in the entire speed range. After two turns a 1:57 flashes on the time monitor. So the all-clear for all Kawa friends: the 6-ninja can still conjure up a fantastic round-trip rocket; just ask the right magicians. After that, nobody thinks about heavy metals anymore. Machinery. Railways. Planes. Ocean liners.

Conclusion: Good, better, the best. The production version of the Kawasaki ZX-6R already cuts a fine figure, but suffers from overweight and a weak engine on the racetrack. The six from Bike Shop Luchow is a great base for hobby racers. The revisions of the chassis and the engine are also relatively inexpensive. The master motorcycle of the BMR Racing Team is at least one league higher: A lot of power, 35 kg lighter than the series, an ultra-stiff chassis and conversion costs of 25,000 euros make it an exclusive professional device that can also be a lot of fun for hobby riders.

Specifications of the Kawasaki ZX-6R series


Comparison test: Kawasaki ZX-6R in three expansion stages


Jahn

The uncomplicated series ZX-6R suffers massively from weight problems.

Drive:
Water-cooled four-cylinder in-line engine, 4 valves / cylinder, 92 kW (125 PS) at 14000 / min, 66 Nm at 11700 / min, bore / stroke: 67.0 / 42.5 mm, compression: 13.3: 1, ignition – / injection system, elliptical throttle valves, mechanically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, G-Kat

Landing gear:
Light alloy bridge frame, steering head angle: 65 degrees, caster: 110 mm, wheelbase: 1405 mm, inner fork tube: 41 mm, spring travel f / h: 120/133 mm

Wheels and brakes:
Light alloy cast wheels, 3.50 x 17 ?? / 5.50 x 17 ??, front tires: 120/70 ZR 17, rear: 180/55 ZR 17, 300 mm double disc brakes with four-piston fixed calipers at the front, 210 mm single disc with Single-piston floating caliper at the rear

Weight: 203 kg, tank capacity: 17.0 liters super

Price: 10665 euros

Data Kawasaki ZX-6R Bike Shop Luchow


Comparison test: Kawasaki ZX-6R in three expansion stages


Jahn

Karsten Bartschat’s ZX-6R cuts a very good figure on the racetrack.

Drive:
Four-cylinder in-line engine, 4 valves / cylinder, approx. 95 kW (129 PS), bore / stroke: 67.0 / 42.5 mm, compression: 13.3: 1, ignition / injection system with power commander, elliptical throttle valves, mechanically operated Multi-panes-
Oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, Leovince complete exhaust system

Landing gear:
Light alloy bridge frame, revised standard chassis with modified geometry, steering head angle: 65 degrees, wheelbase: ns. A., inner fork tube: 41 mm, spring travel v./h .: k. A..

Wheels and brakes:
Cast light alloy wheels, 3.50 x 17 ?? / 5.50 x 17 ??, front tires: 120/70 ZR 17, rear: 180/55 ZR 17, 300 mm double disc brakes with four-piston fixed calipers at the front, 210 mm single disc with single-piston floating caliper hi.
Accessories: LSL steering damper, LSL handlebar stub, Lightech footrest system, foldable lever set including remote adjustment, carbon parts

Weight: 185 kg

Price: approx. 14,700 euros

Data Kawasaki ZX-6R BMR Racing Team


Comparison test: Kawasaki ZX-6R in three expansion stages


Jahn

Sebastian Diss moves his ZX-6R incredibly quickly over the Hockenheim circuit.

Drive:
Four-cylinder in-line engine, 4 valves / cylinder, approx. 98 kW (133 PS), bore / stroke: 67.0 / 42.5 mm, head revision LKM, ignition / injection system, Kawasaki kit ECU, elliptical throttle valves, mechanically operated multi-disc Oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, Bodis complete exhaust system

Landing gear:
Light alloy bridge frame, fork with Showa cartridge, Showa shock absorber, steering head angle: 65 degrees, wheelbase: ns. A., inner fork tube: 41 mm, spring travel v./h .: k. A..

Wheels and brakes:
Light alloy cast wheels, 3.50 x 17 ?? / 5.50 x 17 ??, front tires: 120/70 ZR 17, rear: 180/55 ZR 17, 300 mm double disc brake with four-piston fixed calipers at the front, 210 mm single disc with Single-piston floating caliper at the rear

Accesories:
Tellert automatic gearshift, LSL footrest system, LSL handlebar stub, GL short-stroke throttle, Pazzo lever, Memotec data recording

Weight: 168 kg

Part costs: approx. 25,000 euros

reviews


Comparison test: Kawasaki ZX-6R in three expansion stages


Jahn

The best ninja fighter comes from the BMR Racing Team.

Kawasaki ZX-6R series

drive
Above all, there is a lack of pulling power. You only feel energetic forward thrust from 10,000 rpm, below which the engine appears sluggish.

landing gear
The running culture is great. The response behavior is exemplary, but the damping is too soft for the racetrack.

ergonomics
The fork also hardly gives any feedback. A Kommoder workplace, rest stops and handlebars are at a bearable height. For the racetrack, the seating position should be a bit sportier.

Driving fun
The 600 can be driven quickly across the racetrack from the first meter. However, if you have shot yourself in, the weight and the lack of draft are bothersome.

verdict
The series ZX-6R primarily suffers from its weight and its low-torque engine. I like her uncomplicated manner.

3rd place / 13 points

Kawasaki ZX-6R bike shop Luchow

drive
With the Powercommander and Leovince system, the series engine noticeably gains in agility. But the Bike Shop-ZX-6R also lacks pressure in the lower speed range.

landing gear
The bike shop relies on a modified series chassis. Results: rich damping, good response behavior and a certain residual comfort.

ergonomics
You can feel the long-distance experience. The stubs and notches are perfectly positioned. Bartschats Kawa is not uncomfortable even on longer turns.

Driving fun
The good seating position and the stiff chassis make the Bike Shop-ZX-6R a hobby fun machine. The engine could be more motivated to grip on low tours.

verdict
What Bartschat has put on the bikes is impressive: only two seconds separate the inexpensive hobby racer from the master bike.

2nd place / 17 points

Kawasaki ZX-6R BMR Racing Team

drive
The LKM motor is convincing across the board. The motorcycle also hangs on the gas at low revs and lets over 130 horses trot just before the limiter.

landing gear
A luxury chassis from Showa: fork and shock absorber respond sensitively, are very tightly coordinated and give perfect feedback on the state of grip.

ergonomics
The footrests are extremely high. This enables enormous inclines, but quickly becomes uncomfortable. The short brake lever is only for two-finger brakes.

Driving fun
People like to give everything on this motorcycle. The BMR-Kawa is a real racing machine with a great engine, very precise chassis and great brakes.

verdict
Exclusive, tough, fast. The BMR Six Hundreds is a professional racer that amateurs can also have fun on. Earned victory.

1st place / 19 points

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